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Travel nurses are in high demand right now, and it’s an exciting and dynamic part of the healthcare profession that many are interested in exploring. But it’s not for everyone. How can you know whether a travel nursing career is the right path for you?

Pros of Travel Nursing

One big benefit of travel nursing right now is it pays extremely well. You can negotiate high wages, especially in areas with significant healthcare worker shortages. Travel nursing is also a great way to explore the country and get to know a lot of different cities and landscapes. You’ll meet a wide variety of people and get to work on a wide variety of teams. And because many facilities are open to hiring travel nurses full-time if it’s a great mutual fit, travel nursing can serve as a good way to evaluate an employer before signing on the dotted line.

Cons of Travel Nursing

One con of travel nursing is that you’ll be away from home a lot – you won’t see your family and friends as often as you probably would if you worked close to home. You’ll also have to spend a good deal of time planning your next move and making sure you have contracts lined up if you want a steady income. (A travel nursing staffing agency like Medical Talent can help with this.)

Travel Nursing vs. Traditional Nursing

Traditional nurses get paid time off and can take vacations while still getting paid. Travel nurses don’t have this luxury. Travel nurses, because of the transient nature of their work, aren’t as likely to get involved in office politics and drama as a traditional nurse is. Taxes will probably be a bit more complicated for travel nurses than they are for traditionally employed nurses.

At the end of the day, travel nursing has plenty of benefits. But there are also a few cons to consider. The choice is entirely up to you and what’s best for your lifestyle!

Make The Right Choice For You

Interested in exploring the exciting world of travel nursing? Medical Talent’s Medical Division is here to help. Contact our recruitment team today to launch your journey with us.

Travel nursing is a fun, dynamic, exciting career choice. It also involves constantly putting the needs of others above your own, as do most nursing jobs. Over time, that kind of pressure can affect your work-life balance in a negative way.

Are you a travel nurse? Is your work-life balance feeling a little out of whack? Here are some tips to maintain it:

Practice self-care.

Get enough sleep. Eat well. Exercise. Schedule a spa day or start practicing yoga. Making time for self-care is so important as a nurse. After all, your job, day in and day out, is to care for others – it makes it very easy to forget to look after yourself. Making a point to take care of the little things is the best way to improve your mental wellness and stay fully charged.

Establish a routine.

The life of a travel nurse is filled with irregularities as part of the job. Different assignments, new schedules, new facilities and teams… the list goes on. Throw in a pandemic on top of that and you have a lot of flux. In the midst of a lot of change and uncertainty, it’s very helpful to have your own routine that keeps you grounded. Whether it’s a 10-minute meditation in the morning, or a quiet hour spent reading and drinking tea in the evening before bedtime, sticking to a calming routine of some kind is crucial.

Make time for hobbies.

Don’t forget to make time for the things you love. Whether it’s shopping, playing an instrument, reading, sketching or drawing, cooking, or spending time with loved ones, you don’t want to let work take over the time you have for hobbies and personal time. Doing things outside of work that recharge your social and mental batteries means you’re healthier and more effective when you return to work — and that’s good for the patients under your care.

Try a social media cleanse.

There’s so much negativity out there, and much of it is funneled directly into our eyeballs through social media apps. Consider taking a break from social media so that you aren’t constantly absorbing all that negative content. You’ll be surprised how refreshed you feel after even a week or two away from your social profiles!

Looking for Your Next Travel Nursing Role?

You’ve come to the right place. Medical Talent’s Medical Division is here to help with talented recruiters ready to find your next travel nursing opportunity. Contact our team to learn more and get started.